In the past, lifting and shipping pallets were manufactured from wood. The wood was typically nailed together to form top and bottom surfaces separated by a network of supporting braces. Goods, such as stacked material, would be loaded on the top surface. To lift and move the goods on the pallet, a forklift would position its lifting forks between the top and bottom surfaces and lift the pallet and goods as a unit. In most cases the wooden pallets were constructed such that the top and bottom surfaces were similar so that the pallet could be used in the same manner without regard to whether the pallet was upside-down (the bottom surface is on the top) or right-side up.
A drawback to wooden pallets is that they are subject to breakage. If the wooden planks used to construct the top surface break the pallet becomes, for the most part unusable. A further drawback is that wooden pallets can wear and degrade over time making them unusable. Still a further drawback is that often the wooden pallets are non-uniform resulting in some not being usable whatsoever. Still another drawback is that wooden pallets do not have a long service life. Rough handling, environmental factors drying or rotting the wood, pest infestation all contribute to a shortened service life for wooden pallet. Still further, the construction of wooden pallets consumes resources, i.e. wood which, while being a replenishing resource, is nonetheless a resource which should be conserved for more beneficial uses.
There is a need for a stronger, more durable, and more uniform pallet.
In Radke, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 6,374,753 issued Apr. 13, 2003 there is disclosed a cold formed synthetic pallet. According to this patent discarded tires are shredded and mixed with shredded plastic and an epoxy binder. The materials are mixed to coat the shredded products and the mixture is poured into a pallet mold and compressed until the binder cures, adhering the products together in the shape of pallet mold.
The quality of the molded pallet described above is related to the proper mixing of the materials and binder in proper quantities. Too little binder and there is inadequate coverage of the shredded pieces which may result in areas of weakness in the finished product. Too much binder can result in extended curing times and a weakened finished product.
Still further, the finished pallet can be weakened or rejected if the materials are not properly shredded. Too large of shredded pieces can weaken the pallet. Too small of pieces and larger amounts of binder must be used.
Further, it is submitted that outdoor exposure to ultraviolet light may tend to degrade the pallet.
There is a need for a process for manufacturing a molded pallet, a composition therefore and a product produced by the process.